History of the Saints

Episode Nine: The Space of Time Which Intervened: Joseph Smith saw the Father and the Son in the spring of 1820 in answer to his earnest prayer. However, while it may have been the resolution for his personal crisis of faith it marked the beginning of the crisis of persecution that would follow him the rest of his life. This episode of History of the Saints deals with the aftermath of that Vision and what Joseph described as “the space of time which intervened between the time I had the Vision and the year, eighteen hundred and twenty-three.” Scholars: Richard Bennett, Dean Jessee, Larry Porter, Donald Enders, Steven Harper, Andrew Hedges

Episode Eight: If Any of You Lack Wisdom: Joseph Smith said, “At about the age of twelve years my mind became seriously impressed with regard to the all important concerns for the welfare of my immortal soul, which led me to searching….I pondered many things in my heart concerning the situation of the world of mankind—the contentions and divisions.” This episode of History of the Saints is about that world—the world of 1820, and how it led and prepared Joseph Smith for his experience in the Sacred Grove. Scholars" Steven Harper, John W. Welch, Richard Bennett, Brian Cannon, Gerrit Dirkmaat, Larry Porter, Jan Shipps

Episode Seven: The Early Years on Palmyra: Palmyra, New York was first settled in 1789 and was called Swift’s Landing after its founder, General John Swift. Then in 1796 the name was changed to Palmyra. By the summer of 1816, word had spread of cheap productive farmland in Palmyra. It was a place of promise and a thriving and growing community. The Smith’s were settled in the village of Palmyra by the spring of 1817. This is the story of those early years in Palmyra leading up to the First Vision. Scholars: Larry Porter, Donald Enders, Richard L. Anderson, Donald Cannon

Episode Twenty Eight: The Move to the Ohio: In 1843 in Nauvoo, Joseph Smith would say, “the main object of the gathering was to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto his people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His kingdom.” He was speaking of the Gathering. It was the winter of 1830-31, when the call was sounded for the saints in New York to gather “to the Ohio” that they might escape the power of the enemy. In this episode of History of the Saints we will talk about that gathering—why they were leaving New York, where they were going and how they got there. Scholars: Jeffrey Walker, William Hartley, Mark Staker, Andrew Hedges, Kyle Walker, Sharalyn Howcroft

Episode Twenty Seven: The Lamanite Mission Part Two—On to the Missouri: October 1830, Oliver Cowdery, Parley P. Pratt, Ziba Peterson, and Peter Whitmer Jr., the four missionaries called to preach to the Lamanites, set out on their journey to Indian lands west of the Missouri River. Along the way they stopped in the Kirtland area of northern Ohio where they found thousands eager to hear them. They baptized more than 125 people—and then, by the end of November 1830, they were once more on their way west. This episode of History of the Saints is the story of their journey to and experiences among the Lamanites in Indian territory. Scholars: Sherilyn Farnes, Mark Staker, Andrew Hedges, Alexander Baugh